Imogen Howson

[Michelle]

At this point, Imogen writes short stories.. I therefore decided to keep the reviews together.

 

Falling

Based on a popular fairytale, Falling is about Linnet, who lives a sheltered life, high in a tower block. Below is a smog-filled, dangerous world, out of which comes Gecko.. who makes her confront everything she thought she knew, about her world, and his.

 

It's a new take on an old fairy tale, set in a futuristic world that could be just around the corner. It's also a young adult love story, which (older? lol) adults will also love. Most importantly, it's beautifully written, pulling you straight in, and not letting go until long after you read the last word.

 

Gaps

Very creepy and atmospheric, I would love to see this expanded out into a longer story. Read it!

 

Frayed Tapestry

Candy lives the perfect life, with all that she wants.. until memories start to push into her life. Her life is not all it seems, and neither are the people around her.

 

This one is also beautifully written, Imogen has a fantastic voice that captures you from the first sentence! You find yourself immediately caught up in Candy's life, wondering and fearing what is developing.

 

In my opinion, Imogen is a master story-teller - you are immediately caught up in the stories, and care about the characters, which can be a rare thing in short stories. I'm off to see what else of hers I can find!

[Michelle]

Dust and Dead Roses

This is another imaginative take on a very well known fairy tale.. or rather, on the ending of it. The story starts with the brave knight who is going to wake sleeping beauty, but it's certainly not the story you expect.

 

I'm sounding like a broken record here, but once again I loved the way that Imogen writes - her characters are brought to life for the reader so quickly, and the story is so well written. It also manages to capture both happiness and sadness, all at once. Another wonderful offering!